Blackened Salmon Burgers
One of the main charms of cooking over an open flame is the infusion of smoke and char, which adds another flavour dimension to this blackened salmon burger. When pairing beer, a good strategy is to lean into these flavours by serving up a dark beer featuring roasted and toasted malts. Porters and stouts come to mind, as does Hoyne Brewing Co.’s enigmatic Dark Matter, which is neither of the above yet brings fantastic toasty notes alongside a lip-smacking hop profile.Ingredients
Serves 6
Pickled Red Onions:
½ cup (125 ml) red wine vinegar
2 tbsp (30 ml) granulated sugar
½ tsp (2.5 ml) kosher salt
1 small red onion, sliced into ⅛-in (0.25 cm) rings
Herbed Cheese Spread:
8 oz (250 g) cream cheese, room temperature
1 tbsp (15 ml) lemon juice
2 tbsp (30 ml) finely chopped fresh dill
2 tbsp (30 ml) finely chopped fresh chives
2 tbsp (30 ml) finely chopped fresh flat leaf parsley leaves
2 tbsp (30 ml) finely chopped fresh basil leaves
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Salmon Burgers:
3 tbsp (45 ml) dark brown sugar
1½ tbsp (22 ml) sweet paprika
¾ tsp (4 ml) cayenne pepper
¾ tsp (4 ml) garlic powder
½ tsp (2.5 ml) dried thyme
½ tsp (2.5 ml) dried oregano
kosher salt and freshly ground black papper, to taste
1½ lbs (750 g) wild salmon, skin removed, cut into large chunks
½ cup + 2 tbsp (155 ml) panko bread crumbs
1½ tbsp (22 ml) grapeseed oil, plus extra for cooking
6 brioche burger buns, toasted
2 avocados, peeled and sliced, for garnish
1½ cups (375 ml) microgreens, for garnish
Instructions
- To make Pickled Red Onions, in a small saucepan, combine vinegar, granulated sugar and salt. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and stir in onion rings. Return to a simmer and cook for 30 seconds. Transfer to a bowl and let cool to room temperature. Rings will turn translucent and shiny as they cool. Cover and store in an airtight container in refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.
- Meanwhile, to make Herbed Cheese Spread, in a medium bowl, stir together cream cheese, lemon juice, dill, chives, parsley, basil and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside. This can be made up to 2 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before using.
- To make Salmon Burgers, start by making seasoning mix. In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, thyme, oregano and a good pinch of both salt and black pepper. Set aside.
- In bowl of a food processor fitted with steel S-blade attachment, pulse salmon until finely chopped. Alternatively, chop salmon very finely with a knife. Transfer to a large bowl and mix in panko crumbs and oil until just combined. Divide mixture into 6 equal portions and shape into burgers about 5-in (12 cm) in diameter. Season burgers generously all over on both sides with seasoning mix and set aside.
- Add a couple tablespoons of grapeseed oil to a large cast iron skillet or frying pan and warm over medium heat. Working in batches, cook burgers, flipping once, until lightly browned and cooked through, about 3 to 5 minutes per side. Be careful when flipping burgers as they are delicate.
- To assemble, spread bottom half of toasted bun with Herbed Cheese Spread. Top with a burger, Pickled Red Onions, avocado slices and microgreens. Top with other half of bun and serve immediately.